Saltaire - Yorkshire - September 2011

Saltaire is one of my favourite towns where i keep returning through the years. Near Shipley in Yorkshire it was once part of the industrial revolution that brought textile industry to the area. Titus Salt created a model village for his workers in the 1850s and Salts Mill opened in 1853 - this is now the name of the gallery in the same space which is a showcase of David Hockney's work through his life - there are etchings and photographs and opera sets and faxed pieces and paintings and videos and digital paintings (created in photoshop or ipad). The building also houses a bookshop and a dinner, florist, kitchen shop, antique shop and restaurant.
Below some drawings of the exhibition space on the third floor and views from the restaurant.

This year I walked around in the park and got some distant views - this one combines the bandstand, dome of the church and sculpture of Titus salt. The bandstand is pink!

And I discovered the New Mill just next to Salts Mill which has a very attractive tower. Along the canal one gets the force of the towering buildings.

We also visited Leeds where there is a new cafe in the old Library which is decorated all with tiles of various colours - mainly green.

 At my friends house she had some amazing dried alliums so i could not resist them.

North Spain August/September

Finally we visited the North of Spain, after many years thinking about it - we decided to draw a triangle - from Segovia to Coruna and Santiago - Galicia has plenty of windmills and some lovely lonely beaches , then Asturias (Aviles, Gijon, Picos de Europa - where we did a 15km walk), Santillana del Mar in Cantabria - visited the reproduction of Altamira caves - and then Bilbao (the Guggenheim has transformed it) and La Rioja - with a very interesting little church in La Guardia - painted stone portico (as Santiago would have been) but in good condition as it is protected from rain and wind. Santo Domingo de La Calzada - a non stop stream of pilgrims to Santiago - and Burgos with a very modern Evolution Museum that exhibits rest of the local Homo Antecesor species a mere 1million years old.And back to Segovia.
I am a little glad to resume the routine and not sleep in a different town each day. Despite the rain and autumn feeling spreading over Newbury.

Below some sketches done along the way:
Galicia - Windmills

Beaches in Galicia.

Gijon - San Pedro and Palacio Revillajijedo

Cangas de Onis and Picos de Europa

Santillana del Mar

Bilbao - Guggenheim - inside (pencil) - it is a very complex building and difficult to sketch - people give and idea of scale - especially liked the Richard Serra sculptures which are simple and playful and explore spacial relationships.
outside - two watercolours - interesting to capture the light that changes the building (reflections and shades) all the time.

La Guardia and Santo Domingo de la Calzada

Wells - Somerset - 16th to 18th August

I went with my friend Pam to this excellent city in Somerset, the smallest city in UK and we spend two and a bit days painting there - it was a rather gloomy most of the time - and it rained and rained, luckily there is plenty to admire and rejoice of in the Cathedral. The Vicars close was our first point of call - people who live there are linked with the city's music school - there is no other way - the street is amazing with the uprights of the chimneys creating a very quick rythm.
The Cathedral is set on a Green so there is enough space for its facade (full of figures) to be appreciated. Inside it has the most modern look despite all the work dating from medieval times - the double scissor arch solution to the weight of the central tower is a very clever solution and geometrically very simple and beautiful.
The Lady chapel has a green and red theme and glass windows that are in different stages of repair - quite beautiful.
The access to the chapter house is by a stair that has a complex geometry and it is very beautiful as well.
The chapter house is an octogonal room with a central column.
The back of the cathedral connects to the Bishop's palace that has a complete moat - but we left the views from its garden/orchard for another time.

 

Segovia July 2011

I have spent 11 fantastic days painting and sketching in Segovia.  Loads of views of the Alcazar and from the Alcazar. Some interesting encounters with locals and tourists. And a grand finale of taking part on the Quick painting competition run by the San Lorenzo quarter. I was not that prepared for this one (no materials) and the shops did not have any watercolour paper. Luckily, I got some free large card where I could do a large drawing (not really a painting) with a bit of colour.Day 1 (21st July- Vera Cruz from Alcazar, Vera Cruz, San Esteban and Jardin de Fronkes).

Day 2 (22nd July - Alcazar desde Muralla, Drumming in Plaza Juan Bravo)

Day 4 (25th July - Mujer Muerta desde Alcazar, Cathedral Tower)

Day 5 (26th July La Merced  from Jewish Cemetery)

Day 7 (27th July - Acueducto - vista 1, View from Vera Cruz - long panorama - concertina book)

Day 8 (28th July - La Granja - El Mar, Palacio, Perspectiva de Fuentes)

Day 9 Acueducto - vista 2

Day 10 (30th July - High view of Alcazar and Catedral)

Day 11 (31st July - Grand Finale - San Lorenzo - quick painting - 1 hour drawing - 70x70 cm)